She’s a designer at heart and an artist at soul; but most importantly, Purificación García is an ambitious woman armed with an unfathomable passion for style and glamour. The Spanish designer provides the fashion scene with young and timeless designs, hence serenading them with a chorus of voguish novelties. From women’s prêt-a-porter to menswear, García’s ingenuity has reached – with great propulsion- the hearts of all trendsetters. With boutiques in several international cities, Purificación García is now spreading her fashionable wings in the UAE.
Azyaamode had a little chat with the fashion designer to talk about her growing label and more!
How did you find yourself in the midst of a thriving career in fashion design?
I showed interest in fashion at a very young age, as I would constantly try on my mother’s shoes and clothes and wear her outfits. This is when I realized that my dream was to create my own brand. And I started working extremely hard to get to where I am today. I started working on my own brand in the 70s, a decade tainted by hippie movements. By that time, I was doing handmade pieces, such as hats and what nots. After a while, I introduced the fashion scene to a small collection of clothes and accessories.
We’ve seen that you’ve moved from one continent to another. How did it change your vision on fashion?
I believe that fashion is more of a global and universal thing. It doesn’t really matter whether a woman is from the UAE, US or Australia; it all comes down to that same sense of fashion and style. That woman, regardless of her nationality, would search for something easy and comfortable for any occasion – be it work, travel or leisure. I’m aiming to create day to night outfits completed with the perfect accessories.
How do you get inspired for your new collections?
I am moved by anything that surrounds me, so I’m constantly inspired by nature. I’m also fascinated by the diversity of markets in different countries. Now that I’m in Dubai, I’m planning to go to the Gold Souk, as well as the vintage and antique stores.
Who is a Purificacion Garcia woman?
She’s a woman who likes fashion. She is modern and she loves traveling. She is not scared to show herself as she knows she has a unique style, and she is confident. She can also be a business woman, the one who travels a lot and wants to have the right day-to-night outfits with her.
What is the secret to your worldwide success?
One of my secrets is definitely being coherent – in other words, if you choose one path, follow it and never stop. I truly believe I can give my customers the best when it comes to quality, and thus I constantly try to meet and go beyond their expectations.
What are the challenges that you had to face in your career?
When it comes to Purificación Garcia as a brand, the biggest challenge was to launch the Men’s collection.
We know you created a PG photography collection to discover and support new talents. Do you find it hard balancing these two – fashion and photography?
It was rather easy, as it all started with a photography exhibition where the most talented person would win a prize. Discovering new talents gave me a real satisfaction, and these young photographers had their own space to showcase their work. I also had a runway show in the framework of this exhibition, and a lot of photographers showed me their support and helped me highlight the brand’s identity.
Can you please tell us about the boutique opening in the UAE? What made you shift to this region?
I had to bring my brand to this region. I know that the UAE in particular is massively growing, as all of the international brands are here, so I thought that it would be a wonderful place for my brand as well.
The UAE store is not the first store you’ve opened in the region. Prior to that you launched the brand in KSA – why did you start off there?
We have a lot of franchises operating worldwide, and one of them is in the KSA. Why did it first bloom in the KSA before the UAE launch? Well, I was actually asked to bring my brand there, so I assume they recognized that it would work well for the Saudi consumer.
Any fashion tips that you can share with our readers?
With so many collections and trends imprinted on the fashion scene nowadays, the most important thing is to be yourself. You should therefore choose what perfectly fits your personal style. You are your own stylist, so you should definitely base your selection on your authenticity. Less is more and you should feel comfortable with your style. Moreover, you should be conscious about your body type and your age.
Now that you are present in the Middle East, what is your next step?
We are definitely planning to expand more thoroughly in Latin America and we are opening another store in Riyadh soon and another one in Miami as well. We are also renovating some of our stores, so we are very excited.
Cindy Menassa
